Obituary: Katheren KennedyDARDANELLE — Katheren Dale Kennedy, 81, passed away Jan. 13, 2015. Born April 4, 1933, she was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur W. Kennedy and Blanche Kennedy George; one brother, Allen Kennedy; three sisters, Lyda Ellis and husband P.J. Ellis, Jeanie Gaddis and Elsie Lee Turner. She is survived by a sister, Carol Jean Kennedy Thacker; one brother-in-law, David Gaddis and many nieces and nephews. Katheren resided many years at the Path...

Obituary: Ranny AnrakRanny Anrak, 39, of Russellville died Jan. 9, 2015. He was born March 15, 1975. A service will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, at the House of Restoration, located at 4527 Dollarway Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71682. For more information about the service, call Michelle at (971) 240-2450.

Obituary: William Knox HintonWilliam Knox Hinton Jr., 60, passed away on Jan. 13, 2015. He was born on Dec. 27, 1954, in New Orleans, La., to William Knox Sr. and Loree (McKinney) Hinton. In 1972, he graduated from Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Mo. William attended the University of Missouri-Rolla where he was a member of the jazz band. He graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla with a degree in Nuclear Engineering in 1976 and a degree in Mechanical Engineering ...

Chili's to open by summerConstruction crews recently broke ground on the newest restaurant to make its way to the Arkansas River Valley — Chili's Bar & Grill. L.R. Mourning Co. site manager Matt Hamilton said the company is on a 110-day schedule, so the restaurant, which is located at 107 N. Elmira Ave., is scheduled to open late spring or early summer. "When we are completed, Chili's will take over and train for a few weeks, so shortly after that it will open," Hamil...

Overbey to chair committeeLITTLE ROCK — Representative Betty Overbey of Lamar was appointed to chair the Arkansas House of Representatives Committee for City, County and Local Affairs, Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam announced earlier this week. The committee reviews all matters regarding city and municipal affairs, county affairs, local improvement districts and inter-local government. “I'm honored to be asked to chair a committee where so many decisions are made t...

News Briefs (Jan. 16, 2015)Nonprofit recruiting board members The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pope and Yell County is in its 23rd year and is currently recruiting diverse leaders with experience in one or more of the following areas: business planning, advocacy, financial, legal, marketing and technology. The organization gives scholarships to low-income single parents who pursue post-secondary education in preparation for skilled employment. To be considered for ...

Bill would restrict drones on private landLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Using a drone to fly above private property and take pictures without permission would be a crime under a bill filed in the Arkansas Legislature. Republican Rep. Justin Harris' proposal filed Thursday would make it a misdemeanor for a drone operator to have or distribute an unauthorized image. His bill exempts law enforcement and photos taken on public property. Various states and the Federal Aviation Administration have tri...

Proposed bill would require public colleges to allow concealed gunsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A lawmaker is proposing a requirement that Arkansas' public colleges and universities allow faculty and staff to carry concealed handguns on campus. Republican Rep. Charlie Collins of Fayetteville filed legislation Thursday to repeal a portion of state law that leaves the decision whether to allow concealed handguns on campus up to colleges and universities. Collins' proposal would remove the opt-out provision for public col...

Hutchinson says he'll unveil budget plan next weekLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will present his balanced budget proposal to lawmakers next week, he said Thursday as legislative leaders prepared to move quickly on the Republican's tax cut plan. Hutchinson said the budget proposal would outline how he planned to pay for reducing income taxes by 1 percent for those making between $21,000 and $75,000 a year. Hutchinson, who was sworn in on Tuesday, is touting the cut as a way t...

Bill to require doctors to give abortion pill in personLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Women in Arkansas seeking abortion-inducing medication would have to take it in the presence of a doctor and come back for a follow-up days later under a bill filed Thursday in the Arkansas Legislature. Supporters of the bill say they want to prevent any instances of abortion medication being administered through telemedicine, even though both sponsors noted that she wasn't aware of any Arkansas providers offering the proced...

Governor taps new director of information systems departmentLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Gov. Asa Hutchinson has named Mark Myers the new director of the Arkansas Department of Information Systems. Hutchinson, who was inaugurated this week, announced the appointment Thursday. Myers is currently the director of strategic Initiatives at the Secretary of State — a position he's held since 2011. Myers graduated fourth in his class from the U.S. Army Signal School in 2003 after being commissioned as a second lieutena...

Mississippi fugitive apprehended in Mountain HomeMOUNTAIN HOME (AP) — A Mississippi fugitive wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court on a first-degree murder complaint has been arrested in Arkansas. The Baxter County Sheriff's Office said deputies arrested 38-year-old Dennis Tyrell Miller in Mountain Home on Thursday after pulling his car over because of a broken tail light. Deputies say Miller was a fugitive from Neshoba County in Mississippi. A bench warrant had been issued Mond...

Panel reviewing salaries sets benchmark statesLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas panel reviewing whether to give raises to elected officials chose five states — Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee — as a benchmark for its own closely watched recommendations. Those states all pay their legislators more than Arkansas, where elected members of the House and Senate collect $15,869 a year. The governors and attorneys general of those states also make more than in Arkansas. Members o...

Hutchinson orders hiring freeze, regulation reviewLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A day after being sworn in as Arkansas' 46th governor, Republican Asa Hutchinson on Wednesday imposed a hiring freeze on most state agencies and ordered that any new regulations or rules be approved by his office. Hutchinson, who took office Tuesday, issued both as executive orders on his first full day as the state's top elected official. The ex-congressman and former federal Homeland Security administrator had said leading...

Committee considers alternatives to parking deckThe Downtown Parking Deck Committee discussed a possible alternate plan during a called meeting Thursday. Chairman Doug Skelton suggested the committee consider a surface parking downtown in a nearby location instead of a parking deck. He said the parking surface could still relieve the city's parking problem while saving a lot of money. "One thing it will do, it will substantially cut back on cost," Skelton said. He estimated a parking surfac...

Immigrants can now get Mexican birth certificates in US SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — The Mexican government Thursday began issuing birth certificates to its citizens at its consulates in the United States to make it easier for immigrants to obtain U.S. work permits, driver's licenses and protection from deportation. Until now, Mexico has required its citizens to get birth certificates at government offices in Mexico. Many of those living in the U.S. ask friends and relatives back home to retrieve the p...

Local residents gather to 'Block Clean Line'DOVER — More than 40 area residents gathered Tuesday in the Dover Middle School Cafeteria to see and hear the latest information on the proposed Clean Line Energy Partners’ proposed high voltage power line across Arkansas. The session was presented by Block Plains and Eastern Clean Line, a coalition of grassroots opposition groups across Oklahoma and Arkansas. Allison Millsaps, a spokeswoman for the Block groups, said the purpose of the “Neigh...

Residents concerned about land purchaseATKINS — A standing-room-only audience greeted the Atkins City Council during its first meeting of 2015 with questions on the city’s borders about a recent land purchase. After Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson swore in the council, he and Mayor Jerry Don Barrett answered questions about the city’s actual boundaries — specifically, if there is a one-mile jurisdiction outside the city’s borders as in Russellville. Ray Caldwell and a group of resi...

Obituary: Valentina PennoValentina Penno, 77, of Russellville died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Russellville. The daughter of Dmitriy and Anna Kuzminitchna Kotelnikov, she was born July 26, 1937, in Orenburg, Russia. She was a member of the Dover Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents and one grandson, Yuri Allen McDaniel. Survivors include a daughter, Liliya McDaniel and husband Rex; and grandson, Dmitri McDan...

Obituary: Irene PipkinsCLARKSVILLE — Irene Highfill Pipkins, 96, of Russellville died Jan. 12, 2015. She was born May 26, 1918, in Hartman to Henry and Bertha Ogden Highfill. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, W. Paul Pipkins; brother, Cecil Highfill; and two sisters, Lucille Mobley and Elaine Green. She is survived by her son, Paul K. (Janis) Pipkins of Natural Dam; daughter, Deborah Pipkins of Little Rock; three grandchildren, Matthew (Jessica) Pip...